The politics and future of telehealth with Kyle Zebley

In this episode, Kyle Zebley, CEO of the American Telemedicine Association, or ATA, discusses telemedicine's role in current health policy, innovation in virtual care and more. ·       Intro 0:56 ·       Kyle Zebley 1:03 ·       What is the distinction between telehealth and telemedicine? 1:37 ·       Tell us about where you grew up and your upbringing. 2:36 ·       How did your interest in telehealth and virtual care develop? 7:18 ·       Was joining the ATA your first shift from working for the government to going into the private sector/a nongovernment role? 11:37 ·       Is telehealth now evenly distributed throughout the U.S., or are there still areas where it is not being utilized? 16:23 ·       Discussion on health care worker shortages and issues with distribution, and whether telehealth is part of the solution. 19:10 ·       Who is pushing back against telehealth? 21:01 ·       Why can't we get a long-term solution to these issues? 26:11 ·       Can you share your perspective on the October 2025 government shutdown, and why telehealth flexibility was involved?  30:10 ·       What are the telehealth innovations that you are most excited about? 35:53 ·       Is AI-driven technology something the ATA is thinking about and navigating? 41:09 ·       Thanks for listening 47:28 Kyle Zebley is CEO of the American Telemedicine Association (ATA), leading efforts to advance health care innovation and the transformation of health care through virtual care, digital health and AI-driven models. We'd love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to [email protected]. Follow us on X @HealioGastro @sameerkberry @umfoodoc. Disclosures: Berry, Chey and Zebley report no financial disclosures.